Tim Ferriss’ Sexy-Time Steak & Red, Red Wine

April 24, 2014

Ever since “going Paleo” I’ve learned to really love meat.

After experimenting with raw veganism for quite some time, the Paleo lifestyle definitely suits me better, and not only for the ease of eating out, socializing through food, and not having to explain myself as much. I still exist off of many many veggies but animal protein just do it for me.

A rich, juicy, mint-spiked lamb burger smothered in caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms, a giant asparagus and salmon omelet, a thick cut steak covered and seared in butter. Now that’s what I’m talking about when I say I love meat.

If you’ve ever wanted to master the art of steak-making (which I completely struggle with) or impress the sneakers off of someone, OR you just want to enjoy a CRAZY great meal that could have come from a pricey 13-star restaurant, then this is your recipe.

Don’t forget the sexy-red, either. Wine, that is. Something jammy, rich, and full-bodied works well. Bold wines such as Zinfandel, Cabernet, Malbec, Syrah, etc. make a great sipping combo to this big, bold meal!

I picked out my Sapphire Hill wine club’s Q Wine, from California’s Russian River Valley (my faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaavorite place on Earth). Any wine from Sapphire Hill will work VERY well. 🙂

Place skillet in oven and cook for 30 minutes or when steak temperature reaches 135°F (57°C)

Baste steaks with skillet juices using a fresh rosemary sprig

Wait 10 minutes before cutting. Serve right off the cutting board.

Long Instructions:

Dry Brining Your Steaks

Dry brining can turn an ordinary cut of steak into what Ferriss calls a “Gucci” cut by pulling water out of the meat and letting it reabsorb the salty water (brine), flavoring and tenderizing it in the process.

Generously coat one side of your steak with kosher salt, placing it uncovered and salted side up on a plate in the fridge. Some people let this step the night before.

Roughly 90 minutes before cook time, rinse off the steak and pat it dry with paper towel until it is completely dry.

Rub both sides with a halved garlic clove and sprinkle on salt & pepper. I do just a sprinkling of salt to cover both sides but it’s really hard to overdo it.

Place the bare steak in the freezer for 30-45 minutes to prepare the steak’s surface for searing. Placing it on a rack works best to ensure that all sides are being dried.

Searing Your Steak

Searing adds flavors by caramelizing the exterior. I like to do this step outside because it gets incredibly smoky. Although the house will smell like delicious steak, it will also sound off with fire alarms if you don’t get the proper ventilation.

Get your cast-iron skillet searing hot. Place your burner on high and leave it alone for a few minutes. Test it by sprinkling a drop of water on the pan. If it sizzles, it’s ready.

Add grapeseed oil to the skillet, tilting the pan around circular motions so that the bottom is coated entirely.

Using your tongs, carefully lay your steak down in the skillet in an “away” manner so that the side of the steak closest to your body touches the pan first.

After one minute, flip it over to sear the other side. You can also sear the edges.

Once finished searing, pick up the steak and create a bed of rosemary sprigs to lay the steak on. This will prevent the steak from being overcooked on the bottom while providing delicious rosemary flavoring.

Optional step: Place a dollop of ghee or unsalted butter on top of the steak and let it melt over in the oven

Serve with mashed garlic cauliflower, an artichoke, and wine.

A few notes on why to cook the steak this way…

Cooking at 200°F allows you to cook your steak(s) evenly while allowing for a large margin of error. If you find your steak is undercooked, go ahead and let it cook just a bit longer. Slow and low really sets this one up as a winner. Try your best NOT to overcook.

Once the steak has reached what is considered the ideal temperature for beef, (135°F/57°C, a medium-rare steak) bring it out and let it rest on a cutting board for about 10 minutes. This allows the juices within to stay in the steak and not leak out when you cut into it. While you Give it a basting of the skillet’s sauce by using a fresh rosemary sprig on both sides while you wait.

Serving right off the cutting board add a little sexy-time food ambiance. Some might call that Food Porn. 😉

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What Runs Lori?

From overweight to underweight.
Eating disorder to healthy thinking.
Depressed to centered and happy.
Vegan to Paleo.
Cardio queen to weight lifting hero.
I've experienced the spectrum and enjoying blogging about it all!